FLOWERY BRANCH, GA - AUGUST 05: Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson #7 runs a route during Atlanta Falcons training camp on August 5, 2023 at IBM Performance Field in Flowery Branch, GA.(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Fantasy Football 2023: Mock Draft Strategy, Cheatsheet Entering Preseason Week 1

Zach BuckleyAug 8, 2023

Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason is here.

The Hall of Fame Game is already in the books—the Cleveland Browns scored a 21-16 triumph over the New York Jets—and the rest of the slate will roll out between Thursday and Sunday.

Call it the start of the most wonderful time of the year, at least for football fanatics and fanatical fantasy football players. For the latter, this is the time to fine-tune draft strategies and put them into practice with mock drafts.

To help you maximize this time, we've tossed together some strategic tips for mock drafts, then highlighted our top-30 point-per-reception rankings and top sleepers at the primary positions.

Tips to Remember

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Irvine, CA - July 27: Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp waves to fans during Rams training camp at UCI in Irvine Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Tailor Your Mocks to Your League's Specifics

While mock drafts can be useful in myriad ways, the biggest benefit of the exercise is getting you prepared for your league's actual talent grab. So, make sure your mock draft room is as close to the real thing as you can make it by customizing the league settings to match your number of teams, roster size and scoring format.

Tiers Over Rankings

While there's something admittedly comforting about numerical rankings, the truth is there's often little separation between consecutive picks. Sometimes, the difference might be negligible at best between players separated by 10 spots.

That's why you want to take whatever rankings list you trust—or, ideally, craft one of your own—and then break it down into tiers of players you roughly value the same. That way you can pinpoint which position groups might allow you to wait another round before addressing and which must be addressed the next time you're on the clock.

Think Outside the Box

Any mock draft you participate in should teach you something. The best way to ensure that happens is by running some experiments so you can see the final results.

How would the back end of your roster hold up if you opened a draft with three consecutive running backs or receivers? If you take a quarterback early, how much do you like—or dislike—your running back and receiving groups? Tinker with your approach, and you might wind up finding one you favor even more than what you typically utilize.

Mistakes to Avoid

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 01: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Don't Go Off the Wall

Because we recommend some experimenting in mock drafts, we need to make this clear: Always stay within the realm of reality. Taking a fifth-round pick in the first round gives you no useful information at all, and it distorts the data for your fellow mock drafters as well.

Think of the experimenting as things you don't normally try but could reasonably see someone else doing. If it doesn't meet that criteria, then don't bring that nonsensical idea to the mock draft room.

Don't Ignore the 'Safe' Selections

While you'll have your own preferred targets, don't completely ignore the recommended picks or top-ranked players on whichever site you're using. If nothing else, this can help you pick up on which highly ranked players are being discounted in draft rooms and could create a bargain opportunity in your actual draft.

These Results Aren't Set in Stone

All draft rooms are different, and mock draft rooms differ more than most. While you can pick up potentially helpful trends, just remember the specific results have no bearing on your league's draft. Don't bank on some slipping or falling just because it happened in a couple of mocks.

Cheatsheet

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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 01: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 01, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Top-30 PPR Rankings

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

3. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

5. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

6. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

7. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

8. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

10. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

11. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans